Lights Out!
by Fegerrific
Summary: The gang head to Vegas for a Hex Girls concert! But during the concert, a creature made of living neon attacks and blacks out the hotel! The gang must solve the mystery before it's lights out for Vegas! Suggested by shaggy23.
1. The Daphne Blake Luggage Carry

The Mystery Machine bounded down the highway, passing by neon signs blaring advertisements for new casinos and hotels. "It's been so long since we've seen the Hex Girls," Daphne said, perusing the Hard Rock Hotel brochure. "Hopefully nothing strange will happen this time."

From the backseat of the van, Shaggy moaned loudly. "Like, why did you have to say something like that? You probably just jinxed us."

Velma waved her hand dismissively. "Shaggy, there are no such things as jinxes."

The van screeched to a halt in front of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. "Well, it's too late to turn back now," Fred announced. "We're here!" The gang exited the van and unloaded Daphne's seventeen violet suitcases, as well as the rest of the luggage.

Fred tossed his keys to the valet driver and headed inside with the gang.

In the lobby of the hotel, enormous ivory stars hung from the ceiling, accompanied by a massive crystal chandelier. The reception desk was fashioned to look like a humongous electric guitar. People were packed into the lobby, some in dark business suits, others in tank tops and bathing suits and still more in jeans and t-shirts. "Looks like most of Vegas came out to see this concert," Daphne remarked, staring around the exquisitely decorated hotel.

A tall woman, her ebony hair streaked with scarlet, strode up to Mystery Incorporated. Her long black dress sparkled in the light from the crystal chandelier. "Glad to see that you made it," she said with a broad grin, showing sharp fangs.

"Hey, it's great to see you again, Thorn," Fred replied.

Thorn winked. "It's been a long time since we've seen you. Let's get you guys checked in so we can meet up with Dusk and Luna."

After checking in, the gang carted their luggage to the elevator, only to find it was shut down. "Hmmm, that's odd," Velma mused, staring at the charred elevator door. Long black streaks marred the bronze doors. "What could have made those marks?"

"I'm sure they have it under control," Fred said, but he sounded unsure.

Shaggy groaned loudly. "With the elevator out, that means we have to carry all our luggage up the STAIRS!"

Fred bit his bottom lip. "I hadn't thought about that. Well, I need the exercise, and the Daphne Blake three-flight-luggage-carry will be plenty of exercise!" Shaggy groaned again, grunting under the weight of three violet suitcases.


	2. A Nightmare in Neon

After lugging the suitcases up three flights of stairs, the gang unpacked their things and settled into their rooms before going down the hall to meet the Hex Girls in Room 324.

The gang regaled the Hex Girls with the tales of terrifying monsters and exotic places that they had seen. The Hex Girls told the gang about the world tour they had just finished; their grand finale was to be here with the Vegas concert.

Several hours later, the gang joined the Hex Girls inside the Hard Rock's enormous concert hall. The stage was lit by red and blue neon lights, casting the Hex Girls with an eerie, otherworldly glow. A powerful fog machine hummed in the corner, generating frightful clouds of smog. The gang stood front and center of the rollicking crowd. They knew every song and sang along with Thorn's belting voice. Scooby even joined in on the fun, howling along to Trap of Love.

About halfway through the concert, the neon lights mysteriously began to get brighter. People began to cover their eyes because the neon was getting too bright for them to stand. Suddenly, the lights exploded, causing the Hex Girls to scream and duck for cover from the flying shards of glass! The room was plunged into near-darkness. A glowing red skeleton, as tall as a full-grown man, emerged from backstage. It let out a hideous, shrill laugh as it strode out onto the stage.

"Ladiessss and gentlemen of Lassss Vegassss," the creature hissed in a shrill, crackling voice, "I hope you enjoyed the light sssshow. It sshall be one of your laaaaast. By the end of the week, I sssshall plunge thissss city into ABSSSSOLUTE DARKNESSSSSS!" At these words, the monster vanished and the room was pitch black once again.

A mass panic and stampede for the door began. Miraculously, no one was trampled or injured. Outside in the lobby, the gang and the girls reconvened to discuss what just happened.

"Thorn, have you or the others heard if this happening before we got here?" said Velma.

Thorn looked bewildered. "No, this is the first we've seen that neon creep," she replied, still shaken from the attack.

"Well, it looks like we have a mystery on our hands," said Fred. "Let's get some sleep and we'll start our investigation in the morning."

Shaggy and Scooby strode off quickly. "All the more reason to sleep 'til noon," Shaggy muttered to his pet.

"Roo raid rit!" Scooby barked.


	3. A Reservation for Interrogation

After getting some sleep Fred, Shaggy, Scooby and the girls met in the lobby to discuss the day's plan of action.

"I did some research last night," Velma announced. "Most of the neon lights on the strip came from a neon factory just outside Las Vegas. It would be a good place to start looking."

"Perfect," Fred said with a grin. "Shaggy, you and Scooby go to the neon factory and see if they have any supplies missing. The girls and I will talk to management and some of the people in the area to see if we can find out who is behind this."

"Like, a factory sounds better than staying here where that neon nightmare showed up last. Let's go, Scoob!"

While Shaggy and Scooby drove across the desert to the factory, Fred and the girls talked to the owner of the hotel, Mr. Snow, a pudgy man with wild white hair and oversized spectacles.

"I'm sorry I'm not more help, kids," he announced, running his fingers through his hair. "But I'm just as baffled as you are. That neon…thing…showed up last night, too. He really did a number to our elevators and our concert hall. Those lights were almost brand new. I think they were the last lights sold before the factory shut down.

"Shut down?" Velma asked curiously.

"Strangest thing," Mr. Snow replied. "There was a huge explosion at the factory. No one got hurt, but the factory never recovered financially. They shut down the place about a month ago. That old building's crumbling out there in the Nevada desert."

"Jinkies, I'm not sure what the guys will find in that crumbling building," said Velma.

"Well, there won't be any food," Daphne joked.


	4. Fear at the Factory

Shaggy and Scooby parked the Mystery Machine outside the factory. "Hmm…looks deserted," Shaggy mused as her and Scooby exited the van.

"Ressert?!" Scooby barked, his tail wagging furiously.

Shaggy grimaced. "Sorry, Scoob. Deserted, like, no one's here!"

"Rawwww," Scooby sighed, his tail drooping sadly.

"I know, I know," Shaggy said comfortingly. "Hey, let's go look inside anyway. Like, who knows what kind of food they left behind?"

"Rmmm! Rood rummy," said Scooby, licking his lips contentedly.

The pair strode inside the darkened factory, passing by broken down machines and fallen, rotting timbers. A family of mice scurried away from the pair's footfalls.

"Ripes!" Scooby barked, leaping into Shaggy's arms. "Rats!"

"Rats?" Shaggy translated. "Like, yuck! This place has GOT to be crawling with critters. Hit the lights, Scoob, maybe it will scare them away." At these words, the room was instantly illuminated. "Like, thanks. Now we can go find that kitchen."

"Rhat rasn't re," Scooby shuddered in fear.

"Then who…" Shaggy trailed off, looking over his shoulder in apprehension. Behind them, the Neon Monster stood crackling with electricity. It laughed shrilly before chasing after the duo! "ZOINKS!" Shaggy screeched, dashing away in horror, followed by Scooby and the creature.


	5. A Lying Lawman?

After talking to Mr. Snow, Fred, Velma and Daphne went into town to talk to the police. As they were ushered into the sheriff's Spartan office, Velma stopped to study the sheriff's diplomas in Electrical Engineering and Criminal Justice until the sheriff returned. Sheriff Dearborne, a giant of a man sporting an impressive chocolate-brown mustache entered his office and thanked them for investigating, but told them that the police had very few leads.

"Is there anything we could do to help?" Daphne asked.

The sheriff crossed his legs and thought. "Well," he sighed. "You kids could save me a trip and talk to Jonathan Claude. He was the owner of the neon factory and, after last night's fiasco, he might be the only one who knows what's going on. Especially because any clues would have blown up with the factory. He lives a couple miles outside of the city. And be careful. Mr. Claude is not fond of strangers."

"Thanks for the help. If we find anything out, we'll let you know," said Fred.

After talking to the Sheriff, Fred, Daphne and Velma walked back to the hotel and waited for Shaggy and Scooby to return from the factory. About a half and hour later, Shaggy and Scooby returned with the Mystery Machine.

"So did you find anything at the factory?" asked Fred.

"Like, for a place that was supposed to be destroyed, it was rather together," replied Shaggy.

"Are you sure you went to the right place?" asked Velma.

Shaggy thought for a moment. "I think so. The sign outside said Neon Factory. And that freaky neon nightmare showed up," replied Shaggy.

"What did it do when it saw you?" asked Daphne.

Shaggy rolled his eyes. "What do ALL monsters do? SCARE us to death!"

Scooby rose up on his hind legs and began to glow inexplicably. "Reah, reah, Ree-hee-hee-hee! Stay raway!" he hissed in imitation of the Neon Monster.

"Well, I want to take a look at that factory for myself, but first I think we need to pay the owner a visit," Velma declared.

The gang piled into the van and headed to the home of Jonathan Claude. On the way, they had to pass the factory. Just like Shaggy and Scooby had said, the building was deserted, but nothing indicated that an explosion had ever happened. "Hmmm…I wonder why Mr. Snow and the Sheriff both said the building was in shambles," mused Velma.

"I'm not sure, but we're not going to find out by just looking at it. We'll have to ask Mr. Claude when we see him. I think this is his house," Fred announced, pulling the van into the driveway with a spray of road dust.


	6. Cranky Claude

The house was more in shambles than the factory they had just passed. The wind whistled through the plastic sheets covering the broken windows. Fred, being the first to reach the door, rang the bell. After a few seconds, the door opened to a hunched-over, scrawny man with mussed salt-and-pepper hair. One eye was squeezed shut while the other focused on a point somewhere in the desert. He wore a stained gray shirt and sweatpants sporting more than a few rips. Nothing about his demeanor said he liked people.

"Are you Mr. Jonathan Claude?" asked Fred hesitantly.

"Who's asking?" snarled the man.

"We're Mystery Incorporated, a detective agency investigating the strange appearances of the Neon Monster" said Velma.

"Neon Monster, eh?" Claude muttered through his snaggletooth. "Well, ah ain't surprised by that a'tall. 'Bout time Neon turned against this wretched hive of a city. Ah'm sorry to say that all them lights I made're part of the problem for all the gambling that goes on. If'n those blasted lights all shut down, people might actually not be drunks and gamblers with no sense of responsibility." Claude sighed deeply before turning to the gang with an angry snarl. "Now you'd BETTER get off my property before I call the cops! AND if I see you snooping around mah factory, I'll have you all ARRESTED!" He slammed the door in a fury, causing the gang to wince in pain.

"Well, that was rude," Daphne commented as they all piled back in the van.

"I don't care what that man said," Velma declared. "We're going to take another look at that factory."

Shaggy shuddered. "Like, he said he was gonna call the cops. Like, I can't TAKE jail food. It's, like, all gray slop!"

Fred shook his head as he drove off. "If Claude calls the cops, he's gonna have to answer some questions. Like why his factory is not in shambles. And why his employees have been without pay for months."

Jonathan Claude peered out his blinds as the van pulled away, knowing those kids would not heed his warning. "Meddlin' snoopers," he muttered, vanishing into his basement.


	7. What the Hex is Going On?

As the Mystery Machine pulled into the Neon Factory parking lot, the gang was shocked to see that the place was in shambles! Most of the building lay in pieces on the ground. The places that were still standing were charred and scorched. "Zoinks, what happened to the building?" Shaggy asked.

Velma bit her lip in thought. "I'm not sure, but let's go look for clues as to what is going on here!"

Mystery incorporated approached the destroyed building with caution, baffled by what they saw. "This is getting stranger by the minute," Fred mused, surveying the wreckage.

The gang picked over rocks and boulders on their way to the building. Scooby, nose to the ground, sneezed a few times at the swirling dust clouds. Suddenly, Daphne stumbled over a rock, causing half of the building to vanish for a split second.

"Jinkies!" exclaimed Velma. "What happened?!"

Daphne bent down to examine the rock. "Jeepers!" she exclaimed. "It's not a rock at all!" She waved her hand in front of the rock, causing the building to vanish and reappear on her hand.

"It must be a hologram!" Fred exclaimed.

"But why would someone want us to think that the factory was closed?" Velma asked.

"Like, why don't we ask…HIM!" Shaggy screeched, pointing at the cracking, sparking figure of the Neon Monster!

"I warnnned you kiddsssss to sssstay away!" the creature crackled. "Now sssssufffer my vengeancccceeee!" The neon monster put his hand on the van causing the lights to explode in a shower of sparks.

The Gang raced towards the Neon Factory in a blind panic, failing to notice that they ran through a very sophisticated hologram to the real neon factory behind the fake destroyed building.

The gang raced though the enormous metal doors of the factory. Shaggy and Scooby quickly barricaded the door with anything they could find. But with a crackle and a BOOM, Shaggy and Scooby's barricade was flung across the room as the creature made the door explode with a burst of electricity.

In fear, the sleuths raced all though the factory, leading the monster on a bizarre chase through the factory, racing though hallways and on moving conveyor belts before finally ditching the creature in the confusion and returning safely to the hotel.


	8. Trappin' Time

After dropping the Mystery Machine at a mechanic to fix the lights, Fred, Daphne and Velma had come up with a plan to capture the monster.

"So, we need the Hex Girls to act like the concert is back on," Fred explained. "When they start playing, that should attract that Neon Nightmare to come back and wreak havoc."

"And when he shows up, Shaggy and Scooby will attack him with fire extinguishers, driving him into the net we'll have set up," Velma continued.

"Then we'll close the net around him and unmask him!" Daphne finished in triumph.

"Sounds like a fantastic plan!" Shaggy said hesitantly.

"I hear a 'but' in your voice, Shag," Fred replied.

"But we're not getting near that electric weirdo again!" finished Shaggy.


	9. I'm a HEX GIRL!

A few hours and six Scooby Snacks later, the Hex Girls were warming up in the lobby for their concert that night. As the sun set, Thorn struck the first cord to Earth, Wind, Fire and Air. With an unearthly howl and ominous sparking, the Neon Monster showed up in a dastardly display of power, sending the crystal chandelier plummeting to the floor in a shower of glass.

"I warnnned yoooou!" the creature sparked, approaching the stage threateningly. "Faccce my wrrrattthhhhh!" Suddenly, Shaggy and Scooby leaped in front of Neon Monster.

"Looks like you need to cool off!" quipped Shaggy, blasting the creature with the foam of the extinguishers before ducking under the monster's arms. Blinded by the foam, the monster stumbled into the net.

"We got him!" cheered Daphne.

Suddenly, the beast's super-heated hands melted the strings of the net. "Or maybe not…" Shaggy screeched, taking off with a shout of horror.

Thinking quickly, Thorn grabbed Dusk's cymbal from her drum set and flung it like a Frisbee towards the monster.

"Like, you missed!" Shaggy moaned.

The cymbal arced gracefully through the air, slicing neatly through an electrical wire directly above the monster. The electrical shock sent the Neon Monster flying into the wall of a nearby building.

"Good work, Thorn!" Fred exclaimed.

Thorn blushed. "It was nothing but luck. Sorry about your cymbal, Dusk."

Dusk shrugged, picking up the bent and tarnished instrument. "It caught that Neon creep. I think it served its purpose."

"Well, let's see who this monster really is!" Fred announced, striding over to the dazed creature and yanking off its mask.


	10. The Mystery is Revealed!

"Sheriff Dearborne?!" chorused the assembled group.

"Just as I thought!" Velma exclaimed. "He was working with Mr. Claude to try and ease his workload. The sheriff believed that if he could black out the casinos, he would eliminate most of the crime and have to work much less and have an easier job."

Mr. Snow waddled up to the scene. "So how did he manage to cause the lights to blow?"

"Or make that hologram of the destroyed factory in the desert?" Fred interrupted.

"It's very simple," Velma replied. "I noticed that Sheriff Dearborne is an electrical engineering major. My guess is that he used his knowledge to fix the lights to blow at a certain time. And the hologram was just another one of his technology tricks."

"Yeah, and I'd have gotten away with it too, if not for those meddling…goths!" Sheriff Dearborne snarled.

The Hard Rock's security guard strode over to the costumed sheriff and jerked him to his feet. "While your motives might not have been bad, a lot of people could have gotten hurt. Let's go, pal. We'll send a car to pick up Mr. Claude for his part in all this." He fastened handcuffs on the sheriff's wrists and dragged him away.

"Well, with the Neon Phantom safely behind bars, we can finally have our concert!" Thorn announced excitedly.

"Scooby-Rooby-ROO!" Scooby cheered along with the rest of the crowd.


End file.
